The Castle of Good Hope · A Man Walled In

The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town is the oldest building in South Africa, built by the Dutch East India Company. Inside the star-shaped walls are a church, a bakery, cells and an execution ground.

The best-known story about the castle is that a soldier is built into the frame of the main gate. He was beaten to death by his comrades for protesting low pay and his body was pushed into the wall — and later people saw him barring the gate at night. In 2007 an archaeological team did recover human bones at the site of the old gate, but no one can say clearly who he was.

The castle is still a military installation, and visitors have to register.

Historical Mysteries / Cape Town · South Africa / 1666